*This post starts a new series, 10+1 -- The Commandments.  We hope you will join us as we learn more about The Ten Commandments and the Greatest Commandment. Read: Deuteronomy 5   “Teacher, which command in the law is the most important?”  Jesus answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and most important command.  And the second command is like the first: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’  All the law and the writings of the prophets depend on these two commands.”  (Matthew 22:34-40) When asked whether they believe they'll go to heaven, many people claim something along the lines of, "Yes, I'm going to heaven.  I'm a good person.  I follow the 10 commandments."  That simple statement is quite loaded as it makes a lot of assumptions.    To begin with, being a good person does not equate entrance into heaven.  Only faith and grace can get you there.  We could not possibly earn our way in.  None of us are that good.  The concept of God's unending grace while we repeatedly fail to follow his instructions is one of the topics we'll discuss in this series.  His grace is something that's offered even to those of us who are "bad."  We all need it.   Faith and belief are not just about perfectly following a set of rules.  Doing so does not earn us God's love.  We already have that just because we exist (and he created us).  At the same time, "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead." (James 2:26)  Following God's laws is a way to honor him and show him respect, not a way to work our way to heaven.  If we truly believe in God and love him, we'll want to follow his laws. As Jesus said, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and most important command.  And the second command is like the first: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’"  Keeping just those two rules encompasses all the others. The statement also assumes that the 10 commandments are something fairly easy to follow when, in fact, they're not.  I'd like to discuss each commandment in depth and what it would really mean to carry them out in our daily modern lives.  We should remember that these laws are designed to be in our best interest.  We'll be happier if we follow them, not merely stifled by restrictions.   Here's a review of those top 10 to get your started on getting your thoughts together and clear on for the upcoming weeks: You shall have no other gods before me You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God. Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Honor your father and your mother. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. You shall not covet   Discussion Starters:  Do you believe that your works are as important to God as your faith? Do you believe that any of the 10 Commandments are outdated and based on the culture of a specific area at a specific time? Do you believe the Levitical laws are as relevant as these 10 Commandments? --Whitney

We are working diligently to get our upcoming series: 10+1, a look at the Commandments, up sometime this week.

However, I wanted to take a moment and post this op ed for you to review in the meantime.

Thoughts?

We come to the end of our Lenten season (and our series). We now enter into a time of EASTER! Easter is not just celebrated today, but it is celebrated in the church for the next 50 days where we study Jesus as he appears to his disciples and gives them the great commission. But, before we go there, let's discuss what today really is ... it is RESURRECTION DAY!

We celebrate Easter because Jesus has risen, he tore the veil of death, bridged the divide between death and life, and now he offers us everlasting life because he has conquered death!

This is a short post, because today is also a day for spending time at church and with family, and I don't want to keep you from that! But I encourage you to use today as a time to thank God for all he's blessed you with, especially for the miracle of the resurrection ...

"He is not here ... He is Risen!"

RISEN INDEED!

Discussion starters:

1. As we celebrate Easter as more than a day, but as a season, how will you continue to remember to focus on Jesus' gift of everlasting life?

2. Today in my worship service the sermon discussed reaching out to others about the "Good News" of the resurrection. How have you in the past shared the good news with others? Do you share the news of Christ with others, why or why not?

When Christ was placed on the cross, there were seven last statements that he said before he breathed his last breath. These statements literally send chills down my spine every time I read them, and especially when I hear them out loud. I encourage you to read the scripture and speak the words that Jesus spoke (if you didn't hear them today in a service). This is why Christ died, to save the world from its sin. He had to die, even though he was innocent and without shame.

Jesus had been punished for doing no wrong, yet he still was more concerned with the salvation of the word than his own pain and suffering. Oftentimes, these words still ring true for us, we do not know what we do. Every time we sin, we nail the nail once again, we, all humankind, stand the cross up high, and we are the ones who cried out, "Crucify him!" We are to blame, but Jesus took our blame, our shame, and hung it on a cross, and then he asked God to FORGIVE US!


Jesus said this word to his mother and the "disciple that he loved." Some Bible scholars believe that the reason why we do not hear the name of the disciple is because we are ALL the disciple that Jesus loved and we are all called to take care of the widows and orphans of the world. Jesus showed that he wanted to honor his mother, and make sure she was taken care of, and he taught us to take care of others, before we take care of ourselves.

Sometimes we doubt God, and we somehow think that there is something wrong with that? How can we not see that it's okay to ask God questions about our faith, if Jesus even asked "Why have you abandoned me." I'm sure deep down, Jesus knew that God, his father, was with him. But it must have been so lonely on that cross, so painful. We sometimes feel abandoned too, and we cry out to God. However, we know the victory is won. Because Jesus was lonely on the cross, abandoned and all alone, we never have to be lonely again!

How can the one who offers us water that will make us "thirst no more" be thirsty on the cross? At this moment Jesus had nothing left to give us, he had given it all, even the everlasting water that he had promised. He had to be thirsty so WE never have to thirst again!

Jesus, the perfect son of God had come to do what he had been sent to do — Die for all humankind. There he was — lonely, abandoned, thirsty, and so very tired. His work on Earth was complete - It is finished.

The truth of everlasting life -- the father takes the spirit and it is entrusted in his hands! How must we mourn today the death of the perfect son? How do we ever repay him for the life he laid down for our sins ... He was pierced for OUR transgressions, and by HIS wounds we are healed! Amen.


Discussion Starters:

1. Reflect, pray, make the passion real for you! It's easy to ignore the pain, the lament, but know it, feel it, believe it! Don't just skip to the resurrection, Jesus WILL rise, but right now ... he has to die.

Sunday marked the beginning of Holy Week with Palm Sunday. I hope your church celebrates Holy Week, but if they don't I would like to give you a little information on each special day so that you too can prepare for Christ death and resurrection.

Palm Sunday:
Palm Sunday is the day that we typically celebrate the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. It is a time when we recognize that the people of the time saw him as a great leader, and actually bowed down before him and praised him for all that he had done (including just raising Lazarus from the dead!) Jesus was at the height of his ministry and he was wildly accepted into Jerusalem. It would only be a few days before he would be scorned and mocked, but today we celebrate his acceptance and power. In most churches that celebrate Palm Sunday palm branches are waved by children as they parade around the sanctuary (these same palms are later burned and the ashes are used for Ash Wednesday the following year).

Holy Monday -Wednesday:
These are the days leading up until Maundy Thursday. There is not much information in the Bible leading up to the time of the "Last Supper." But we know Jesus was in Jerusalem, he gave his disciples instructions on where to meet in the Upper Room, and he was anointed by Mary of Bethany (and he states that she is preparing him for his funeral). Jesus is somber, but the rest of the world is still jubilant, not realizing the Jesus' days are coming to an end on Earth.

Maunday Thursday:
A solemn day, the day of the last supper. We find Jesus in the upper room with his disciples. He reveals that someone will betray him, and that even Peter will deny him three times. He washes his disciples feet, he humbles himself before them, and then they head to the garden to pray. It is at the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus asks him disciples to stay awake just one more hour and pray for him and with him. It is at this garden where he is kissed by Judas, and it is on this night that he is beaten, cast lots against, and every single disciple disowns him. Churches who have a Maundy Thursday service sometimes have a Tenebre service, where they go through each of the scriptures extinguishing a candle with each step of the way to the cross, others have a simple service where they tell the story of the betrayal, and then strip the church of all pageantry, so that the church is bare and naked, just as Jesus was betrayed on the cross. Communion is often served on this night as well, since it was the night that Jesus taught us to remember him through sacrament.

Good Friday:
The day of Jesus' death. Some churches have noon services and others have three hour services counting down to the actually time of death (roughly 3 p.m. in most traditions). This service is very solemn, and it focuses on the Passion. The story of the nails being nailed, the bitter vinegar, and the last breath ... the act of total sacrifice for an undeserving world.

Holy Saturday:
A day of holy rest.

Easter Sunday:
I would like to do a post just on Easter, so be looking for it on Easter morning!

Discussion Starters:

1. How will you celebrate Holy Week?
2. When you think of the Passion of Christ what feelings or emotions do you have about his death and resurrection?
   
3. Easter is coming, he will be risen, how will you dedicate your life to rise again with him as a new EASTER people?

As I've mentioned before, my husband is Catholic and I grew up Southern Baptist. Therefore, I didn't even become aware that such a thing as Lent existed until I was already out of high school. So it wasn't part of my upbringing. This is all new. It's even new for my church (which is part of the Evangelical Presbyterian denomination) where this is the first year there has been an Ash Wednesday service and any talk of Lent.

For anyone else who is unfamiliar with it, the season of Lent is a time of preparation. This preparation normally includes extra prayer and fasting and choosing something to give up for the 40-day duration from Ash Wednesday through Easter Sunday.

Technically it's 46 days, not just 40. Some people count Sundays, and some people don't. I personally think it's a bit sneaky to count Sundays as mini-Easters where you don't have to observe giving up whatever it was you gave up. But I won't be offended if you disagree with me on that. Whatever works for you. Observation of Lent is another one of those non-essentials for me. Practice it or don't. Salvation doesn't depend upon it. But I have come to decide that it is helpful.

It is helpful because it is not just about giving something up as I initially thought when I first heard of it. I couldn't see any benefit from simply giving something up unless it was the benefit of a smaller waistline from giving up something like chocolate or soda. I now realize, the point is really to replace whatever you gave up with more focus on God.

I gave up Facebook this year because it was eating up A LOT of my time. With that extra time, I have been able to double the amount of Bible study I do each day and to co-found this blog. I started following a schedule to read the Bible through starting mid-February, and by doubling up, I'll be back on track by Easter as if I had started January 1st.

At first, I thought my choice to give up something like Facebook might be silly, but I now think the best things to give up for Lent must be the things that take up too much of your time. I'm still unsure how giving up food helps. It is a sacrifice if you choose the right thing, and I guess you would think of God every time you want something and don't eat it.

We've observed the Catholic tradition of no meat on Fridays this year, and I don't really feel like I've gotten anything spiritual out of that. It's been more of an excuse to have shrimp and sushi and pasta. I must be missing the point on that one.

Our church is asking us to fast from food between the Good Friday service around 6 pm through breakfast Easter morning. I've got to say, I love food, and that's not going to be an easy thing for me. I have enough trouble just sticking to my Weight Watchers points. I can't decide what we're going to do about the fasting challenge yet. If we wind up at Graham's grandparents house this weekend, spending a day and a half without food may just be an impossibility. If we stay home, it's much more likely. If I commit to it, I'll do it. I just can't decide what exactly I want to commit to.

I've been trying to figure out what fasting means to different people. I don't know that the same rules will apply, that I'll be able to replace thoughts of food with thoughts of God the way I replaced Facebook. I've had some suggest a juice fast where there is no food at all only juice or a fruit and veggie fast where of course it's only fruits and veggies. Our Hindu friends often fast by limiting themselves to one small meal a day. I got the impression they thought it was cute that we fast from meat one day a week. I think they saw it the same way I do. Is one day a week without meat really a sacrifice, especially if you can still have seafood? Of course, they often fast for multiple days so going without at all wouldn't be practical.

Discussion Starters:

1. Do you feel that observing Lent and giving something up for 40 days is a beneficial practice?
2. What are some things you have given up for Lent in the past and how did you feel about it?
3. What are your experiences with fasting from food?

--Whitney

"This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord - a lasting ordinance."

Exodus 12:14

It is not only the season for Lent and Easter. It is also time for Passover, a Jewish holy day/festival, which this year lasts from April 9th - 15th. It commemorates God sparing the Israelites when he passed them over during the plague of the firstborn, only killing the first born of Egypt. Hence the name of the holiday.

The plague of the firstborn was just the last of the plagues on Egypt as a result of Pharaoh refusing to let the Israelites go. Before that all the water was turned to blood and pests were sent out including frogs, gnats, flies, and locusts. All the Egyptians' livestock died while the Israelites' lived. Boils broke out on people. Hail came down, and anyone caught outside in it died. There was even a darkness that could be felt, but only upon the Egyptians. After each plague, Pharaoh would act as if he were about to set the Israelites free but then he would change his mind only to be met with more destruction.

This story brings up a lot of questions for me.

Discussion Starters:

1. Do you feel that sometimes Moses' brother, Aaron, sort of got shafted in the recognition department?
He spoke for Moses and later became the head priest. At first, I found it a little sneaky that Moses talked God into letting Aaron speak for him so he didn't have to do it himself. Was Moses sneaky or was he recognizing his own strengths and weaknesses? I initially thought Aaron was kind of underrated with Moses getting all the glory until I realized later on in the story that Aaron was actually the one who formed the golden calf for the people to worship while Moses was up on the mountain getting the 10 Commandments directly from God (Exodus 32) so maybe it was fair after all.

2. Does anyone else find it odd that magicians could replicate most of the miracles God performed through Moses' staff?
And why is there no more magic like this in the world? Or is there?

3. What does it mean that God hardened Pharaoh's heart?
Does it seem fair that Pharaoh was punished because God hardened his heart? Was it fair to make him be bad and then call him the bad guy? Predestination vs. Free Will, which is it?

4. Why don't Christians really celebrate Passover?
The celebration of this festival was to be "a lasting ordinance." Did this ordiance only apply to the Israelite's direct descendents, the Jewish people? We follow the 10 Commandments. We don't take that to only be directed towards Jews. In chapter 12, it does say a temporary foreigner should not eat of this feast, but someone living among them could if all the males of the household were circumcised. Do the same rules still apply? And circumcision is a whole other topic too.